This August, South Africa will be introduced to an album that is an invitation to worship. "Come" is the 7th studio album by Mervis, a Pretoria based worship leader who spends most of his year ministering in churches across South Africa. The two CD set includes a free-worship CD, capturing special moments of worship recorded in studio over a period of time, by Mervis and his wife, Sonja van der Merwe.
"Originally we wanted to call the album 'You Are Good'," says Mervis, "But Sonja and I wanted to know that if this was the last album we would get the chance to make, people would be called to Christ, first and foremost. Hence the name 'Come' with the cover that we chose."
A trend you'll notice on the covers of the last four albums by Mervis is that you won't see his face. "It's not a conventional cover, but then I'm not a conventional type of guy!" says Mervis with a smile. "We wanted it to minister to people before they even hear the music."
Musically, the album is diverse. It has a true South African flare, mixing the Western and African worlds from incorporating African choir and percussion on "Yahweh", to the jazzy serenade of the flugal horn on "Show Me Your Face." The catchy country sound of Where You Are features cleverly arranged pedal steel and violin, making it easy on the ears of radio audiences.
The first radio single, "You Are Good," features recording artist and vocal coach, Freddie Wessels on choir. The video for the track was directed and edited by producer and fellow songwriter on the album, Danny Antill. (Click on the album cover to view the video.)
Mervis also incorporates scripture well into his songwriting. The track "Prophesy" is based on Ezekiel 37:4. "Adonai" sings of the names of God, a beautiful worship track ideal for congregational worship. Chord charts will be made available to the churches, starting with the uptempo opening track, "King of Glory."
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